It's that time again. Time for a new year; a new start. Time to get motivated. After the holidays it is so easy to fall into a slump, especially if this past semester did not go too well for you. Instead of getting discouraged or lazy, take the initiative to jump into this new year with a positive attitude and motivation. It is hard to get the drive on your own if you have had a rough semester that has completely shattered your confidence. When you lack confidence you tend to lack a positive attitude about what you are capable of, which is where the lack of motivation stems from.

To be 100% confident in yourself is tough when you are in college, and sometimes it seems like you’re the only one that is cheering for yourself to do well. Try thinking of all the things you have done and still do well. There is no way that those things go unnoticed by everyone. Sure, maybe this past year you had more missteps than successes, but focusing on what you did well will give you a more positive attitude than focusing on what you have not done well. Either way, the past is the past, and there is no way to change it. The only way to move forward is to focus on the good that has happened. Positivity and confidence go hand in hand with each other-- you cannot have confidence in yourself without a positive attitude, and you cannot have a positive attitude if you do not believe in yourself.

Confidence has a great deal to do with motivation as well. If you feel down about yourself, the chances of meeting and/or beating any goal you might have goes down significantly. Realize that you are your own enemy when it comes to personal goals. Getting inside your own head and thinking negative things like ‘there is no way for me to make above a C on this assignment’ makes it easier for that outcome to happen. Even if it is the hardest class in the world, setting attainable and realistic goals with a positive attitude will motivate you to work even harder and yield a more favored outcome. Even if things do not work out the way you would like them to, look at the situation with a more positive attitude and encourage yourself to work harder next time. Once you start being confident and positive about yourself, the motivation will come.

Goal setting is always a great way to help with getting motivated, however, starting to work on the goal is the hardest. It is so easy to say ‘oh, I will have more time next week to start’, but that only helps you put it off. If you really want to achieve what you dream, you have to make the time this week. Get started as soon as you set the goal to avoid putting it off. The sooner you start the sooner you get into a cycle, which makes it easier in the long run.

As 2016 approaches, remember that you can do anything you set your mind to. It all depends on your attitude.